Loading summary
Mindy Thomas
Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered, is there life on other planets?
Guy Raz
It's really happening. I knew aliens were looking for me.
Mindy Thomas
From Disney and Pixar.
Guy Raz
Welcome to the communiverse.
Grandma G Force
Allow me to adjust your gravity. Oh, I'm fine.
Guy Raz
Gravity. Wow.
Mindy Thomas
We are not. This is awesome alone.
Grandma G Force
Are you gonna eat me? Ew.
Tommy
What kind of alien are you?
Mindy Thomas
Disney and Pixar's Elio rated PG. Parental guidance suggested only in theaters June 20th. Tickets available now.
Guy Raz
Hey, grownup. Happy Dino day. It's me, Mindy. And before we start the show, did you know that scientists actually don't know what color dinosaurs were? Yeah, scientists make educated guesses based on fossilized feathers or skin impressions. But no one is 100% certain what colors dinosaurs actually were when they roamed the Earth 66 million years ago. So when we made our own wow in the world dinosaur toys, Guy Raz Roz and I added a little pop of color to make those dinos really roar. Yep, that's why the wow in the world jumbo T. Rex dinosaur is neon blue and purple. And the baby brontosaurus in our baby dino bucket is bright orange and pink. To discover even more wows about dinosaurs for the dino fans in your world, grown ups, visit Amazon.com wonderykids to shop all of our colorful dinosaur toys. And more coming soon. Plus, don't forget to pre order our newest book, Dinosaurs Are Wow. A roaring thunder of prehistoric wonder coming to a bookshelf near you this October. Pre order today. Wherever you get your books, just search Dinosaurs Are Wow. At your favorite retailer. That's it. And now let's get back to the show proceeded.
Roz
3, 2, 1.
Guy Raz
Mission. The bubbles are an adventure of magnificent proportion.
Narrator
I don't know what you've been told. We're in a golden age. So many discoveries that are jumping off the page While in the world wow in the world wow in the world.
Paleontologist
Wow.
Narrator
In the world Wild.
Guy Raz
I am Mindy Houston. So, anywho, Guy Raz, I've been really into dinosaurs lately and I was thinking that maybe we could just take the wow. Machine back in time to go check out some ladies.
Hold on a sec. Mindy, do you hear that?
Hear what?
Grandma G Force
A big old cup of bouillon.
Guy Raz
That.
That is that Grandma G Force I hear outside. What is she doing? Mindy? It sounds violent.
Let me just take a peek out the window here. Uh, o yeah, she's just weed whacking.
Hi, Grandma G Force, as in yard work. Let me see if I can see that from my house. Uh, Mindy, why does it look like she's wearing a rope around her waist with a battle ax tied to the end of it?
Oh, that's because she's wearing a rope around her waist with a battle axe tied to the end of it. Wow, look at her spin around and swing that rope.
Mindy, she just chopped down our neighborhood's oldest living tree. That was a historical landmark.
Grandma G Force
My bad.
Guy Raz
Wow, she really knows how to wield that thing.
Does she though?
Let's get off the phone and head over there, Guy Raz. See if she needs any help whacking weeds and chopping trees.
Are you sure that's a good idea, Mindy?
Yes, of course I'm not sure that's a good idea, Guy Raz. Now come on. Meet you over there in five.
But.
Hey, Grandma G Force.
Grandma G Force
What?
Guy Raz
What you got there tied around your waist? Mind if I come over and get a closer look?
Hey, Mindy. Hey, G Force. I couldn't help but notice the unconventional way you were literally attacking your yard work.
Grandma G Force
Well, that's a little trick I learned from an old Aztec warrior paddle from back in.
Guy Raz
How old are you?
Mind if I get a closer look at that battle axe?
Grandma G Force
Well, okay.
Guy Raz
You know, Grandma GeForce, there are tools specifically designed for getting rid of weeds.
Yeah, well, aha, very interesting. Guy Raz, come over here and get a load of this weed whacker of Grandma G Force is here. Kay, look at this sharp edge. Plates of metal fused together and formed into a distinctive wedge shape.
Yeah, this looks more like the bladed club of an ancient Mesoamerican warrior than it does a garden tool.
Grandma G Force
Yeah, well, it feels more like one too. Take that, telephone pole.
Guy Raz
Why would you do that?
You know what, Guy Raz, this reminds me of a new dinosaur study that I just read in the journal Nature.
Ooh, a new scientific study.
Grandma G Force
Here we go again.
Guy Raz
Yeah, this group of Chilean paleontologists. You know, from the South American country of Chile.
Grandma G Force
Well, I could go for some chili and beans right about now.
Guy Raz
Well, they, along with some paleontologists from the University of Texas, recently found a horse new species of ankylosaur.
Ankylosaur? You mean as in the dinosaur?
Grandma G Force
Well, my ankles are sore too. Give me yours, boy.
Guy Raz
What?
No, Guy Raz is right. Ankylosaurs who roamed the earth as far back as 66 million years ago were a family of armored dinosaurs that were known for their short tank like bodies and bony club shaped tails.
Oh, I know the dinosaurs you're talking about, Mindy. They had these four short, powerful Legs and thick bony plates called osteoderms that covered their bodies and heads. And you know, come to think of it, they kind of remind me of you, G Force.
Grandma G Force
Well, thank you, boy. I appreciate that.
Guy Raz
Or maybe more like giant SUV sized armadillos with sledgehammers at the ends of their tails.
Grandma G Force
Yeah, well, too bad they didn't have a weird whack and whipping tail like this.
Guy Raz
You gotta watch where you swing that thing. And why do you have that battle axe tied to a rope around your waist?
Grandma G Force
It's my tail, boy.
Guy Raz
No, you're just swinging a battle axe from behind.
Grandma G Force
No, it's my tail.
Guy Raz
No, it's a dangerous.
Okay, okay. Now first of all, you are both right. And second of all, what Grandma GeForce has going on here with her battleaxe tail is actually a lot like this new dinosaur species that was recently discovered.
Grandma G Force
Bo. Yeah, boy.
Guy Raz
And to prove it to you, I think we need to take the wow Machine back to the Cretaceous period so we can see for ourselves.
Grandma G Force
Uh, well, I ain't going nowhere. I still got ways to whack.
Guy Raz
Wait, so let me get this straight, Mindy. You want to go back in time to meet a deadly armored dinosaur face to face?
Narrator
Uh huh.
Guy Raz
But now I'm gonna run home to get my adventure tool kit and I'll meet you out at the wow Machine in five minutes. Okay? Run.
Grandma G Force
Run.
Guy Raz
But how should I dress for this?
Grandma G Force
Well, I suggest you wear pants.
Guy Raz
Okay, let me just get the wow Machine unlocked and opened here.
All right.
And opening the hatch. Hey, Roz, wanna give me a hand here? Ah, thanks, buddy. Phew. Phew.
So where are we going, Mindy?
Let me see here. I've got the study in my adventure toolkit somewhere. Oh, here we go. Looks like we are going back to the Cretaceous period somewhere between 72 and 75 million years ago. And specifically to the southern continent of. Ooh, Gondwana.
Gondwana? Is that even a real place, Mindy?
No, but it was 75 million years ago. In fact, it was a southern supercontinent that included what we now know as Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica. Ah.
Before that supercontinent started to break apart into the continents we know today.
Exact oritos.
Got it. But shouldn't we be a little more specific about where we want this wow Machine to drop us?
Oh, yeah, good point. Okay, let me just see here. I think I'll plug in what is now known as Chilean Patagonia.
So the southernmost tip of South America.
Yep, Right into the bed of a river delta. After all, that's where the fossils of this newly discovered species of ankylosaur were found.
I see.
And if we go back in time to find this ankylosaur, then we might be able to rescue it before it becomes extinct.
But, Mindy, dinosaurs went extinct about 65 million years ago.
Not if we can save them.
What?
And here we go. A landing as smooth as butter. You okay over there, Guy? Razzie. Here, let me help you shake it off and unscramble your brains a little. There you go.
Ouch.
Good as new.
So, did we make it to the Cretaceous period? 75 million years ago?
Yep. Looks like this is the place. I don't know about you, Guy Raz, but I am hungry. Let me just zoodle the best local dive to get some lunch around this place. No cell service.
Narrator
What?
Guy Raz
Of course there's no cell service, Mindy. No cell service, no restaurants, no people, no food. Unless you enjoy dinosaur meat.
Well, I like me some dino nuggies.
Mindy, we're in the middle of the dinosaur ages. Look out this window.
Oh, scooch over. Let me see. Ah, these blinds. There we go. Whoa. Look at that, Guy Raz. Real live dinosaurs.
Narrator
Hey, bunnies. Hey, hey, Minnie.
Guy Raz
Stop drawing attention to ourselves. Do you know how powerful those dinosaurs are?
Well, I'll tell you one thing, Guy Raz. They're not as as powerful as the small but mighty dinosaur species we came to see. Come on, let's get out of this wow machine so we can go find this dinosaur for ourselves.
Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. You want us to go out there with the dinosaurs?
Well, we're not gonna just sit here and wait for the one we're looking for to waltz by. I mean, that could take, like, 10 million years. I don't know about you, Guy Raz, but I am not about to risk a extinction. But lucky for us, I just so happen to have some inflatable dinosaur suits in my adventure tool kit here.
Some inflatable what?
Hang on. Rummaging. Rummaging. Rummaging.
Roz
Ah, cats.
Guy Raz
Wow.
There's always cats in here. Rummaging.
Narrator
Oh, there they are.
Guy Raz
One inflatable T. Rex suit for you, Guy Raz, and one inflatable T. Rex suit for me.
How do we inflate these things, Mindy?
Oh, okay, so you're just gonna slip it over your body like this, and then you're gonna blow it up from the inside like a balloon. While you're doing that, I'm just gonna hook mine up to this automatic air pump over here. What?
Mindy, you have an automatic air pump there?
Narrator
Look at us.
Guy Raz
A terrifying twosome of. All right. Everything's fine, Mindy. Okay, time to head out into the wild.
Narrator
Opening the hatch.
Guy Raz
Stepping out.
Narrator
Whoa.
Guy Raz
Okay, now look at me, Guy Raz, we just have to try to not look like tourists, okay? We're just a couple of cool inflatable dinosaurs who live here like it's our business. We're just like cool locals, okay? It's just cool.
Okay, Just stay cool and calm and collected.
I didn't say that.
Everything is. Is going to be okay, Mindy.
Just trying to act like one of the locals. This is fun.
So, Mindy, how was this species of ankylosaur even discovered?
Oh, okay, well, story time. Oh, hang on a second. Let me just get the story time music to come up on my guy phone here for effect.
Mindy.
Oh, there we go. Okay, so, once upon a February in the year 2018, a team of paleontologists.
So scientists who study fossils. Like dinosaur bones.
Exactly. So this team of paleontologists from the University of Chile set out on a dino dig in a river delta on the southernmost tip of Chile. Right where we're walking now.
Right where we're walking among all of these dinosaurs who somehow seem to believe were actually T. Rexes.
Uh huh.
Okay.
The area was known to be a hotspot for fossil finds, but the conditions there were anything but. It was freezing. And just as the icy air grew colder and the Arctic winds picked up speed, the paleontologists stumbled upon a mysterious pile of bones.
Roz
Whoa, looky here. We found a bunch of bones.
Grandma G Force
Well, big whoop. I got a whole body of bones underneath this skin here.
Roz
Gee. Force. We're playing paleontologists.
Grandma G Force
Yeah, so?
Roz
So be more excited. This is supposed to be unexpected and amazing.
Paleontologist
What was that, fellow paleontologists? We found bones.
Roz
Oh, you're here too, huh?
Paleontologist
Yes, I'm here too, Tommy. I mean, fellow scientist. And we need to get these bones back to the lab.
Roz
Why?
Paleontologist
Oh, I don't know. For a really good reason, I imagine.
Guy Raz
Time was running out as the frigid weather conditions continued to rage.
Paleontologist
Oh, I. I see it now. Brr. Hurry, everyone, collect the bones. It's snowing.
Roz
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Guy Raz
And the paleontologists spent the next five days hauling this icy bunch of bones back to their lab, where they were met with another team of local Chilean paleontologists. It was a treacherous journey.
Grandma G Force
Oh, this is so treacherous.
Guy Raz
One sprained an ankle. Ow.
Paleontologist
My ankle.
Guy Raz
Another broke a rib.
Roz
Heavens. But it's cool. I'm A paleontologist. Remember? I put bones back together for a living. Okay, here we go. That's better.
Grandma G Force
Oh, snap.
Guy Raz
And they all risked hypothermia. It took everything they had just to survive these conditions. But when they got the bones back to the lab, they discovered.
Grandma G Force
Oh, wow. Wow. Wow.
Guy Raz
What, Mindy? What did they discover?
They discovered that they had discovered something. They discovered that they had discovered a new species of dinosaur.
Oh, that's right. But we knew that from the start of the story.
So the team got to work like the prehistoric puzzle masters that they are.
Paleontologist
This goes here. No, no, no, wait. This goes there. And that goes here.
Guy Raz
They put those bones back together again, piece by piece. And by the time they had the last bone in place, they had reconstructed about 80% of the skeleton of of this dinosaur from snout to tail. All six and a half feet or two meters of it.
Paleontologist
Ta da.
Grandma G Force
Well, I think we deserve a pat on the back for this.
Roz
Okadoop.
Narrator
Ow.
Guy Raz
Tummy.
Paleontologist
Ow.
Roz
Oop. Sorry, feller.
Guy Raz
Sheesh. It turns out that the bones were in such good shape after being preserved in this river Delta for like, 72 million years, that the whole dinosaur skeleton from the waist down and much of the upper body as well, was able to be put back together again.
Paleontologist
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty happy with that.
Grandma G Force
Well, we're still missing a few pieces in the head.
Roz
Aren't we all?
Guy Raz
But it was the tail that wowed them the most.
Roz
What in the World Wide Web is going on with this tail?
Guy Raz
The tail was unlike anything scientists had ever seen before.
Paleontologist
What? I don't see anything interesti. Oh, heavens. The tail. What's wrong with it?
Grandma G Force
Well, if this tail is wrong, then I don't want to be right.
Guy Raz
At the end of the tail was a jagged mass of bone fused together like shingles on a roof. It appeared to them like some sort of stuff. A spiky cricket bat mixed with a battle axe.
Paleontologist
It looks like a cricket bat and a battle axe had a baby.
Grandma G Force
This tail was made for trouble.
Guy Raz
And upon realizing that they had uncovered and discovered a brand new species of dinosaur, these paleontologists knew that they had to give it a name.
Paleontologist
Oh, how about Kyle?
Grandma G Force
Nah, I'm calling it Baby G Force.
Roz
What about Sergeant Battle Butt iii?
Guy Raz
In the end, the paleontologists decided to name it Stegeros Ellengassin.
Roz
Oh, we did.
Guy Raz
Stegaros for its shingled roof tail and Ellengosin, after the armored beast in the mythology of the local Unkanunk people.
Narrator
The end.
Guy Raz
Wow. So it's not every day that paleontologists discover a new species of dinosaur.
Nope. And it's not every day that they discover one in the Southern hemisphere.
And I bet it's not every day that they discover one with a weapon for a tail.
That's right. This is a big deal for Chilean paleontology. And according to Dr. Anthony Vargas, one of the lead paleontologists in this study, this is only the beginning.
Meaning that Stegoris Ellen Gossen serves as a big clue that there might be more left to find.
You know it.
Well, speaking of finding dinosaurs, I'm not seeing any around here with battleaxe tails. And I'm starting to think that maybe that's a good thing for us.
Guy Raz, are you telling me that you're afraid of coming tail to tail with Stagoras ellengasson?
Uh, yeah.
Okay, Well, I think you look ferocious in that inflatable dinosaur suit. But I guess we could get back in the wow Machine and head back home.
Race you there.
Grandma G Force
Run. Run. Run.
Guy Raz
Run. Run. Run.
Paleontologist
Run, run, run, run, run. Run.
Grandma G Force
Phew.
Guy Raz
Oh, opening the hatch. Wait, Mindy, did you forget to lock the hatch?
I don't know. Probably. Why?
Well, it's just that it was cracked open. Creep.
Okay, let see here. Plug in the coordinates. We're going to our neighborhood in the present day.
And here we. What was that? Uh, Mindy, what was that?
What was what?
Didn't you hear that when we took off? I heard something from the. From inside this wow. Machine roar.
Paleontologist
What?
Guy Raz
No, that sound was obviously a snore.
Mindy, where is that snore coming from?
Isn't it obvious? Guy Raz? It's coming from the Stegoros Ellengasson. The dinosaur sleeping in the back of the wow Machine.
The what?
The. Dinah. Oh, boy, this is not good.
We accidentally brought a dinosaur into the present.
It just.
Cindy, this is a disaster. We could change the course of history.
Guy Raz. Don't worry. As usual, I've got everything out of control.
Grandma G Force
Well, what took you two so long? It's not like you went that far.
Narrator
Grandma G Force.
Grandma G Force
Oh, I see you brought me back a souvenir. Oh, nice.
Guy Raz
Well, not on purpose.
A souvenir. Mindy, does she not see that? That's an actual dinosaur with a weapon for a tail.
Grandma G Force
Well, hey there, big boy. Looks like you've got what it takes to help me whack my weeds. Come on out here and give Grandma G Force a tank.
Guy Raz
What in the.
Grandma G Force
Oh, yeah, that worked real nice.
Guy Raz
See, I told you it was all gonna Work out Guy Raz. Look at that Indy there.
Grandma G Force
That's right. Just whack them weeds. Whack em. I'm gonna keep you forever. Aw, that's nice.
Tommy
Wow in the World. We'll be right back, grown ups. This message is for you.
Guy Raz
Hey grown ups, it's Mindy and Guy Raz from Wow in the World. And guess what?
What's the good news, Mindy?
Once Upon a Beat is back with brand new episodes.
Oh, I love that podcast.
We here at Tinkercast have partnered with our friends at Wondry to bring your family new episodes of Once Upon a Beat.
Once Upon a Beat remixes fairy tales and fables as old as time, giving them a fresh spin with some rhythm and rhyme.
This podcast is hosted by the amazing DJ Fuch and features original hip hop songs from Grammy award winning artist Secret Agent 23's Cadoo.
Once upon a Beat is where hip hop and fairy tales meet and you can listen to new episodes right now.
Follow Once Upon a Beat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Once Upon a Beat early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app in Apple podcasts.
Tommy
That's it. Back to the show.
Narrator
What in the world?
Guy Raz
Hi, thanks for calling wow in the World. After the beep, get ready to record.
Tommy
Hello, my name is Adam, I live in Arizona. My wow is that camels have long toes to keep them from sinking in sand.
I
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Kevin and I live in St. Louis, Missouri. And my wow in the world is the peregrine falcon is the fastest bird on Earth. It can clock up to 243 miles per hour. That's my wow in the world. And tell Reggie I said hi.
Tommy
Hi, my name is Holly. I live in North Carolina. My wow in the world is that pigeons make and drink milk. Hi, my name is Alex from Grange Lake, illinois and I'm 9 years old. My wow in the world is that some metals are so reactive they explode on contact with water. That's crazy. Say hi to Grandma. G Force.
Grandma G Force
Say what?
Tommy
Super duper annoying. Dennis? Yes, Reggie and Thomas Fingerling for me.
Guy Raz
What?
Roz
I wasn't sleeping.
Tommy
Love your show.
Guy Raz
Bye.
Tommy
Hi, my name is Camilla and I'm eight years old. I live in Connecticut and my wow is that the sun is 4.6 billion years old. Say hi to grandma, Cheese horse. Excuse me, Brady, Thomas, Fingoli, Stagman and Dennis.
Paleontologist
I am Static Man.
Tommy
Hi, my name is Finley and I'm from Riverside, Rhode Island. And my WOW is there are more insects on earth than all the other animals put together, including humans. Say hi to Mindy, Guy Raz, Grandma G Force.
Grandma G Force
Aw, isn't that nice?
Tommy
Thomas Fingerling what? Dennis and Reggie for me.
Paleontologist
Howdy.
Guy Raz
Bye.
Tommy
I love your show.
Guy Raz
End of messages Grown Ups if you like wow in the World you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.
Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey@wondery.com survey.
Wow in the world is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalkin with help from Me Guy Raz.
Original sound design and music editing is done by our senior producer Jed Anderson and Tyler Thole. You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis, Thomas Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.
Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker and Meredith Halpern Ranzer powers the WOW at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by three time Grammy nominees the Pop Ups. Find them at thepopups.com Special thanks to.
The rest of our team of tinkerers including Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger and Henry Moskal.
To keep the Wows rolling, visit us at tinkercat. There you can learn more about becoming an official member of the World Organization of wowzers, learn more about upcoming events, shop our shop and pick up a copy of our new number one New York Times best selling book the how and wow of the Human Body.
Grown Ups. You can follow wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hello@tinkercast.com and if.
You'Re a kid with a big WOW to share with us, call us at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of our show or an upcoming episode of 2 what's in a wow?
Thanks again for listening and until next time, keep on wowing.
Tommy
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
Wow in the World - Episode: "A Dinosaur Tale" (June 2, 2025)
In this exhilarating episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz embark on a thrilling adventure that intertwines scientific discovery with imaginative storytelling. Titled "A Dinosaur Tale," the episode seamlessly blends factual paleontology with a creative time-travel narrative, captivating both young listeners and their grown-up companions.
The episode opens with Mindy Thomas sharing an intriguing fact about dinosaurs: “scientists actually don't know what color dinosaurs were” ([00:30] Mindy Thomas). She explains that scientists make educated guesses based on fossilized feathers or skin impressions, but absolute certainty remains elusive. To spark imagination, Mindy and Guy Raz highlight their colorful dinosaur toys, emphasizing the blend of science and creativity. This segment not only educates but also encourages listeners to think beyond the known facts, fostering a sense of wonder and possibility.
Transitioning from the toy promotion, the hosts delve into the main topic: the discovery of a new species of ankylosaur. At [05:52], Guy Raz mentions, “they, along with some paleontologists from the University of Texas, recently found a new species of ankylosaur.” He elaborates on ankylosaurs, describing them as “armored dinosaurs known for their short tank-like bodies and bony club-shaped tails” ([06:11] Guy Raz). This discovery sets the stage for the episode's adventure, highlighting the dynamic nature of paleontological research and the excitement surrounding new findings.
Inspired by the ankylosaur discovery, Mindy proposes an ambitious plan: “maybe we could just take the wow Machine back in time to go check out some ladies” ([02:34] Mindy Thomas). Their whimsical time machine, the Wow Machine, becomes the vessel for their journey. However, their plans are humorously interrupted by Grandma G Force, who bursts into the scene wielding an unconventional battle axe attached to a rope ([03:02] Guy Raz). Her quirky entrance adds a layer of fun and unpredictability, blending humor with the adventurous spirit of the show.
With Grandma G Force now part of the narrative, the hosts activate the Wow Machine to travel back to the Cretaceous period, specifically to Chilean Patagonia ([08:47] Guy Raz). As they arrive, the contrast between the present day and the prehistoric landscape is vividly described. Upon witnessing real dinosaurs, Mindy remarks, “Look at that, real live dinosaurs” ([11:36] Guy Raz). The thrill of encountering these magnificent creatures heightens the sense of adventure, making the story both educational and engaging.
To blend in and safely navigate the dinosaur-populated environment, Mindy and Guy Raz don inflatable T. Rex suits. Guy Raz humorously notes, “We just have to try to not look like tourists” ([13:57] Guy Raz), capturing the playful tone of their quest. This inventive solution underscores the hosts' resourcefulness and adds a layer of humor to their time-travel escapade.
The heart of the episode revolves around the discovery of Stegoris Ellengasson, a new species of ankylosaur with a uniquely weaponized tail. Through a narrated story, Mindy recounts how a team of Chilean paleontologists unearthed bones in harsh, icy conditions. “It was freezing. And just as the icy air grew colder... the paleontologists stumbled upon a mysterious pile of bones” ([15:26] Guy Raz).
Reconstructing the fossil, the scientists revealed a dinosaur unlike any before seen. The tail, described as “a jagged mass of bone fused together like shingles on a roof” ([19:37] Guy Raz), resembled “a cricket bat and a battle axe had a baby” ([19:50] Paleontologist). This remarkable feature led to the naming of the species as Stegoris Ellengasson, honoring both its distinctive tail and local mythology. This segment not only highlights the meticulous nature of paleontological work but also celebrates the creativity involved in naming new species.
Eager to witness Stegoris Ellengasson firsthand, the hosts race back to their time machine, only to inadvertently bring the dinosaur into the present day. At [22:51], Guy Raz exclaims, “We accidentally brought a dinosaur into the present.” This unexpected twist introduces chaos and humor as the dinosaur interacts with Grandma G Force, showcasing the playful and unpredictable nature of their adventure.
Grandma G Force, now empowered with her dinosaur companion, humorously invites the dinosaur to help with yard work: “Looks like you've got what it takes to help me whack my weeds” ([24:05] Grandma G Force). The interplay between the characters underscores the show's ability to blend educational content with entertaining storytelling, keeping listeners engaged through unexpected developments.
As the adventure concludes, the episode transitions to messages from young listeners, each sharing their own "wows" about the natural world. These segments foster a sense of community and encourage curiosity among children, reinforcing the podcast's mission to inspire awe and wonder.
The episode wraps up with credits and acknowledgments, maintaining the engaging and appreciative tone towards its audience. While the final minutes touch upon promotional content, the core narrative leaves listeners with a sense of excitement about scientific discovery and imaginative exploration.
Scientific Discovery and Imagination: The episode masterfully blends real scientific discoveries with imaginative storytelling, making complex topics accessible and entertaining for young audiences.
Encouraging Curiosity: By highlighting the uncertainties in paleontology, such as dinosaur colors, the hosts encourage children to ask questions and explore the unknown.
Humor and Adventure: The inclusion of quirky characters like Grandma G Force and the use of inflatable dinosaur suits add humor, making the learning experience enjoyable.
Community Engagement: Listener messages personalize the podcast, making it interactive and fostering a sense of belonging among its audience.
“scientists actually don't know what color dinosaurs were” ([00:30] Mindy Thomas)
“They kind of remind me of you, G Force.” ([06:28] Guy Raz)
“We accidentally brought a dinosaur into the present.” ([22:51] Guy Raz)
“Wow, so it's not every day that paleontologists discover a new species of dinosaur.” ([20:39] Guy Raz)
"A Dinosaur Tale" exemplifies Wow in the World's commitment to making science accessible and fun. By intertwining factual content with creative narratives, Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz deliver an episode that not only educates but also entertains, inspiring listeners to keep exploring and saying "WOW" about the world around them.